Anzac, Gregoire Lake Estates and Fort McMurray First Nation forced to evacuate late Wednesday
Many evacuees forced from their Fort McMurray homes by wildfire Tuesday are on the move once again.
Three communities south of Fort McMurray, one including an evacuation centre, were ordered to leave as changing weather patterns turned the wildfire their way late Wednesday evening.
A red glow from the encroaching fire can be seen ominously framing the Anzac evacuation centre as people board buses. For Donna Guillamot, evacuated yesterday from Fort McMurray, the feeling is all too familiar.
“I thought it was safe here, so I guess we’ll go to Edmonton,” said Guillamot. “It’s very stressful, you don’t know what’s burned, what’s not burned, when you can go back.”
“Now you’re sitting here and all you see is red flames. It’s pretty scary.”
RCMP went door to door in Anzac, Gregoire Lake Estates and Fort McMurray First Nation after a mandatory evacuation order was issued.
Buses took people to Edmonton and officials hope to have everyone out by midnight. Dale Bendfeld, the acting director of community services and policing for Wood Buffalo, says safety, as always, is paramount.
“As you can see looking up there this is a very large and very serious fire we’re working with,” said Benfeld.
“It’s already taken on a city, we’re going to ensure that people of Anzac and Gregoire are safe and get them down to Edmonton and out of here.”
Evacuees board a bus preparing to leave Anzac. (Cameron MacIntosh)
The regional emergency operations centre (REOC) which had just relocated to Anzac from the Fort McMurray airport will be moving south to Lac La Biche.
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